We Provide Care and Support

At Dearborn we help our students develop positive, trusting friendships with each other and with the teachers and adults in the school.

At Dearborn Academy, we believe that every student in our care deserves the respect and freedom to explore their emotions and behavior without fear of judgment.

We want to help students understand who they are and why they struggle. And we want them to develop as whole human beings—capable, confident, hopeful and happy. We strongly believe that all students deserve every opportunity to be successful. Our job is to give students every chance to recover hope and joy in learning, and to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to reach their goals.

To do this, we weave together academic experiences with clinical and other services to create a multidimensional support system for our students. Every aspect of school life at Dearborn is designed to give students opportunities to grow emotionally and personally as well as intellectually and academically.

Welcome to the Milieu

Dearborn Academy High School and Elementary/Middle Schools are "milieu" (mil-YOO or mil-YUH) programs, meaning that students are supported throughout the school day.

Teachers and therapists work together so that students can participate in everything from a class discussion to a club meeting knowing that if they need it, someone is in the room who can help them solve a problem or deal with a challenge or conflict. There's always an adult to offer gentle assistance in organizing class work, dealing with frustration or requesting additional guidance from a teacher. With this kind of close support, students often regain confidence, start to internalize new strategies for achievement and progress and develop more positive feelings about school.

Clinical Services and Support for Every Child—and Family

Dearborn Academy offers extensive high-quality clinical services to our students and their families. Every student in our programs meets individually with a Dearborn therapist every week for a private session. These sessions may take the form of a private conversation in an office or they may be activity-based—for example, therapists and students might go for walks, work on a project or participate in games as they talk about sensitive issues. These sessions give students a chance to talk with a highly skilled child or adolescent therapist about personal issues. Younger students often take this time to discuss peers, family life and fears. High school students explore issues of independence, personal responsibility, social relationships, self-esteem and preparing for the future. For students who need support with medications or other medical treatments, Dearborn works closely with a consulting psychiatrist.

Dearborn students may also participate in group therapy. Groups might talk about relationships, conflict or substance abuse in the family or among peers. Group therapy is a highly effective way to learn to trust others, build a stronger sense of empathy and connection and overcome feelings of shame, isolation and anxiety. We also provide quality family therapy on campus, and, from time to time, group therapy for parents.

Few schools offer as wide a range of clinical services as Dearborn. Our clinical services may include: